Luggage handle



B. M. HAMLIN 2,176,857

LUGGAGE HANDLE Oct. 17, 1939.-

Filed Aug. 29, 1938 ZZZ/Vera??? Patented Oct. 17, 1939 2,176,853

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LUGGAGE HANDLE Benjamin M. Hamlin, Chicago, Ill.

Application August 29, 1938, Serial No. 227,293

3 Claims. (Cl. 19057) This invention relates generally to new and spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the useful improvements in handles, and more parinvention. ticularly, to a luggage handle of the type com- For the purpose of facilitating an understandprising a grip member covered with leather or ing of my invention, I have illustrated in the 5 other suitable material. accompanying drawing, a preferred embodiment 5 It is the main object of this invention to prothereof, from an inspection of which, when convide a handle of the character described which sidered in connection with the following descripmay be constructed from a few simple parts, tion, my invention, its mode of construction, easily assembled, and when so constructed and assembly and operation, and many of its adassembled, will present a handle which will not vantages should be readily understood and 10 only be durable, but also of highly attractive and appreciated. ornamental appearance. Referring to the drawing in which the same Another object of the invention is to provide characters of reference are employed to india luggage handle of the character described, cate corresponding or similar parts throughout v.1 comprising a pair of bracket members of suitable the several figures of the drawing:

- material, such as metal or the like, having Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of a luggage sockets provided therein for the reception handle constructed in accordance with the prinof the ends of the grip member, which grip ciples of my invention;

member may be formed of wood or'the like, Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through and is adapted to be covered by a suitable mathe same; 20 terial, which will be the same as that with Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially which the luggage to whichthe handle is to be on line 33 of Fig. 2; attached is covered, and novel and improved Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken means for securely fastening the covering masubstantially on line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

terial to the grip member. Fig. 5 is a sectional view through one of the 25 A still further object of the invention is to sockets within which the end of the grip memprovide a luggage handle of the character deher is received. scribed, comprising a grip member of wood or Referring to the drawing more specifically by the like, having its end portions secured in metal characters of reference, the letter A designates a brackets provided with sockets, and means propiece of luggage of any conventional construc- 30 vided in said sockets for securely fastening the tion, to which is secured my improved handle ends of said grip member therein, and for also generally designated by the reference charpreventing rotary movement of said grip member acter i ll. when once secured in place. In the embodiment illustrated, the handle com- A still further object of this invention is to p ses t e p member H, which is formed of 35 provide a luggage handle of the character deany suitable material such as wood or the like, scribed, comprising a grip member of wood or said member being shaped substantially as shown the like, to the outer surface of which is adapted in the drawing, being of enlarged diameter at its to be secured a suitable covering material, said central po t n, gradu ly t pe ing towards the 4 grip member being provided with a longitudinal ends to provide the substantially cylindrical end 4; slot extending along its full length for receiving portions 12 and I3 which are adapted for disthe ends of the covering material, and a rod position Within the sockets I4 and l5,respectively, adapted for disposition within said slot to retain in suitable brackets l6 formed of metal. Said the said covering material in place on the grip brackets l6 are provided with the opening I! member. adjacent their lower ends, through which are 45 With the foregoing and other objects in view adapted to be passed the straps or staples M3, by which will appear as the description proceeds, the means of which the handle I0 is permanently invention consists in certain novel features of secured to the piece of luggage A. construction, arrangement and combination of The members 16 are of identical construction,

5 parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in and, as already stated, each includes adjacent the accompanying drawing, and particularly its upper end the socket for receiving the cylinpointed out in the appended claims, it being drical end of the hand grip H. The socket is understood that various changes in the form, of substantially circular formation, and has proproportion, size and minor details of the strucvided centrally thereof, the screw member 19,

5 ture may be made without departing from the which is rigidly and permanently fixed in a disc member 20 disposed therein, and is adapted for engagement within the end of the hand grip, as shown more clearly in Fig. 2. The socket has formed on its inner walls, spaced circumferentially, a plurality of rib portions 2!, which ribs are adapted to bite into the side walls of the cylindrical end portions of the grip member H, to thereby securely lock said grip member against turning within the brackets l 5.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention, the ends l2 and I3 of the grip member are fixed within the sockets l4 and I5 by jamming the socket members 16 upon the assembled handle l0, causing the screw member H! to be forced into the ends of the grip member I l, the grip member having holes started in the ends for receiving the pointed ends of the screws l9. This jamming causes the threads of the screw member l9, besides gripping the member ll to spread the ends I 2 and I3 within the sockets, causing the same toexpand and further secure said handle ends I2 and I3 within said sockets I4 and i5,

and upon said ribs 2 I.

Itis well-known that the luggage highly popular at the present time iscovered with a suitable the luggage is covered with, and in the present case this is accomplished by surrounding or encasing the hand grip H with the suitable covering 22. In order to securely fasten the covering material 22 to the member H, I provide adjacent the lower edge'of said member a longitudinal groove 23, which groove extends along the entire length of said member H, and is adapted'for receiving therein-the free ends of the'covering material 22, as shown more clearly in Fig.4 of the drawing. In order to prevent 'said'free ends from becoming disassociated from the groove,I mount withinsthe groove a suitable rod 24', said rod being substantially the same length as the hand grip 1 l', and the ends of said rod b'eing disposed within the sockets M and 15 when the handle is in fully assembled position. Th-us, it will be noted, that it will be impossible for-the covering material 22 to become disasso'ciated from the hand grip -H when the same-had once been assembled. r

From the above, it will-be noted that I have provided a luggage handle which is'constructed from only a few simple parts, which may be easily assembled, and when so assembled, will be durable and highly efficient for carrying out the purposesfor which it is designed.

It is believed that my invention, its mode of construction and assembly,'and many of its advantages should be readily understood from the foregoing without further description, and it should also be manifest that while a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described for illustrative purposes, the structural details are nevertheless capable of wide variation Within the purview of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A luggage handle, comprising a hand grip provided with a longitudinal groove extending along its full length, a covering for said hand grip with the free edges thereof turned into said groove, a strip of metal forced into said groove for holding the edges of said covering in place, a pair of brackets having sockets adjacent their upper ends for receiving the free ends of said hand grip, means carried by said sockets for engagement with the ends of said hand grip, the free ends of said metal strip extending into said sockets for preventing displacement of said strip from said groove.

2. A luggage handle, comprising a hand grip provided'with a longitudinal groove extending along its full length;.a covering for said hand grip with the free edges thereof turned into said groove, a strip of metal forged into said groove for holding the edges of said covering in place, a

pair of brackets having sockets adjacent their upper ends for receiving the free ends of said hand grip, means carried by said sockets for engagement with the ends of said hand grip, said last-mentioned means including a screw member adapted for engagement within the endof said hand grip, and a plurality'of circumferentially spaced rib portions provided on'the inner surface of said socket for biting into the outer surface of said hand grip to prevent rotary movement thereof relative to the brackets when the hand grip is in assembled relation with said brackets.

3. A' luggage handle, comprising a pair of'metal brackets, each having a socket adjacent its upper inner surface of said socket, a hand grip adapted for assembly with said metalbrackets, with the free ends of said hand grip arranged within said sockets, a covering for saidha-nd grip, said -hand grip being provided with a longitudinal groove extending along the full length thereof, 7

the free edges of said covering being received within said groove, and a metal strip disposed "in said groove and over the free edges of said covering for holding the latter in said'groove, said metal strip having its free*ends"disposed within the sockets when the hand grip is in assembled relation with the brackets.

'BENJAMIN M. HAMIN. 

